Made by a Fabricista: Sue Makes a Workout Outfit

Every year I vow to get in shape and stay in shape. Typically, I do really well with this promise to myself up until about October. Then it seems like busyness, apathy, and life just gets in the way and I backslide into old habits...including not working out! So to start 2015 out right, I decided the best and most appropriate thing to do is make some workout clothes I will look forward to wearing and why not? They go together quickly and with this AMAZING fabric I choose from Fabric Mart to complete the job, I'll make more!

This is a poly/lycra blend and I wish you were able to touch it, it is SO soft! I wish I could wear something like this to work as I think I'd smile all day long! I'd certainly look and feel comfortable.

For the jacket I used Jalie 2679, or the women's sport jacket. The details are awesome, the directions are good although a little sparse, and the drafting is perfect. I LOVE this pattern and I am so pleased with my final result!

It was fun playing with the layout of the pattern pieces to determine where I would use the contrasting white.

For the pants, I used a Kwik Sew pattern that has been in my stash for quite a while. Kwik Sew 3988 has two versions of Yoga/workout pants with a long version with a waist inset, perfect for color blocking, or a shorter version that's knee length that you can make color blocked at the waist seam and outer legs at the knees. Both views have a gusset at the crotch area--which makes you able to move in multiple ways--even ways you didn't know your body was capable of doing!

I LOVE this fabric. It is so soft and I am very happy with the patterns I choose to make this outfit. If Fabric Mart has any of this fabric left, don't hesitate to purchase is for any knit garment. It is lovely stuff! Check out their activewear selection here. It is a little sparse at the moment, but you can also check out the swimwear section for 4-way stretch knits that could be good for this project as well.

~ Sue

Made By A Fabricista: Closing 2025 with a Lined Jacket

Hello again, sewing friends! It seems we have arrived yet again in the grandest season for layering, all this oncoming cold weather. I like ending the year with something warm and very useful. Seems based on my past Fabricista posts, I love to sew year-end outerwear, and this round is no different! I challenged myself with a new lined coat (wait, jacket? Coat? I feel like the presence of wool changes things?). Anyhoo, since the lovely Chalk & Notch Den Jacket has been in my queue, I proceeded ahead. I like the large pockets, the option to line or not, and the extra bodice and sleeve seams for topstitching. Sewing this coat is not at all difficult, but the many pieces and loads of topstitching will take a bit of time. My version took me a few multiple-hour sessions to complete. I sewed a size 2, which matches my measurements, and I made no alterations. Hint: for a quick size test, just employ the lining pieces. Gorgeous, muted blue as a soft wool flannel ? This is ...

Made By A Fabricista: Sheer Elegance and Everyday Comfort with my Two New Tops

Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon from Sharon Sews with my last Fabricista make for 2025. While many sew a special holiday outfit at year’s end, I went in another direction sewing two tops that couldn’t be more different. One is sheer and elegant while the other is easy comfort for everyday wear. These tops reflect how I dress at this stage of life. As an over-50 sewist, these two tops reflect how I dress at this point in my life. Sometimes I want something a bit special, other times more basic. Either way, sewing them in beautiful fabrics, custom fit to my body, makes all the difference in how I feel when I wear them. Even though I’m quite pleased with my two tops, my original plan was to sew a jacket with the tropical print stretch twill and pair it with a top sewn from the soutache mesh knit . Sadly, I wasn’t quick enough to get enough of the stretch twill to make a jacket, so a top it was! You do know you have to act fast when you see something you love on Fabric ...

Made By A Fabricista: Chalk and Notch Wren Dress: My Buffet dress for the Christmas season!

I recently sewed the Chalk and Notch Wren dress using a beautifully soft black voile from Fabric Mart, and it turned into such a satisfying, enjoyable project. The pattern itself is very easy to understand and straightforward with clear instructions, intuitive construction, and a relaxed fit that makes the sewing process easy. A buffet dress in the sewing community is a dress that is loose fitting, so you can eat at the buffet without your dress being uncomfortable afterwards, lol! Because the voile I chose is extremely thin and transparent, I opted to line the bodice and first tier. Adding a lining not only provided modesty but also gave the delicate fabric a bit more stability, especially around the neckline and button placket. A helpful tip when sewing a lining into a lightweight bodice is to treat the lining and the main fabric as one. I sewed the bodice as you would for a lined bodice, and the first tier I sewed the pieces together with a basting stitch to make the process...

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